THE  LEHIGH  UNIVERSITY 


FOUNDED  BY  ASA  PACKER. 


COURSE  IN 


CIVIL  ENGINEERING, 


MANSFIELD  MERRIMAN,  C.E.,  Ph.D., 

Professor  of  Civil  Engineering. 


I.  PROGRAM  OF  STUDIES. 

ITT  HISTORY  AND  PLAN. 

III.  FUNDAMENTAL  AND  GENERAL  SUBJECTS. 

IV.  DRAWING. 

V.  SURVEYING. 

VI.  CONSTRUCTION  AND  MATERIALS. 

VII.  SANITARY  AND  HYDRAULIC  ENGINEERING. 

VIII.  BRIDGE  ENGINEERING. 

IX.  ALLIED  TECHNICAL  SUBJECTS. 

X.  THESES. 

XI.  STATISTICS  OF  ALUMNI. 


SOUTH  BETHLEHEM,  PA. 

1896. 


THE  LEHIGH  UNIVERSITY. 


Thomas  Messinger  Drown,  LL.D.,  President. 


William  H.  Chandler,  Ph.D.,  F.C.S.,  Professor  of  Chemistry. 

Benjamin  W.  Frazier,  A.M.,  Professor  of  Mineralogy  and  Metallurgy. 

H.  Wilson  Harding,  A.M. ,  Professor  of  Physics  and  Electrical  Engineering. 

Mansfield  Merriman,  C.E.,  Ph.D.,  Professor  of  Civil  Engineering. 

Severin  Ringer,  U.  J.D.,  Professor  of  Modern  Languages  and  of  History. 

Edward  H.  Williams,  Jr.,  B.A.,  E.M.,  A.C.,  Professor  of  Mining  Engineer¬ 
ing  and  Geology. 

Joseph  F.  Klein,  D.E.,  Professor  of  Mechanical  Engineering. 

William  Andrew  Robinson,  A.M.,  Professor  of  the  Greek  Language  and 
Literature. 

Edmund  Morris  Hyde,  Ph.D.,  L.H.D.,  Professor  of  the  Latin  Language  and 
Literature. 

Rev.  Elwood  Worcester,  A.M.,  Ph.D.,  Professor  of  Mental  and  Moral 
Philosophy. 

Charles  L.  Thornburg,  C.E.,  Ph.D.,  Professor  of  Mathematics  and  As¬ 
tronomy. 

William  C.  Thayer,  A.M.,  Professor  of  the  English  Language  and  Literature. 


Alexander  Macfarlane,  M.A.,  D.Sc.,  LL.D.,  Lecturer  in  Charge  of  Depart¬ 
ment  of  Electrical  Engineering. 

William  L.  Estes,  M.D.,  Lecturer  on  Physiology  and  Hygiene. 


Arthur  E.  Meaker,  C.E.,  Instructor  in  Mathematics. 

Preston  A.  Lambert,  M.A.,  Instructor  in  Mathematics. 

Joseph  W.  Richards,  M.A.,  A.C.,  Ph.D.,  Instructor  in  Metallurgy  and 
Mineralogy. 

Lewis  Buckley  Semple,  M.A.,  Ph.D.,  Instructor  in  English. 

Ralph  M.  Wilcox,  Ph.B.,  Instructor  in  Civil  Engineering. 

John  P.  Brooks,  M.S.,  Instructor  in  Civil  Engineering. 

Prosser  Hall  Frye,  A.B.,  Instructor  in  English. 

Robert  Ferguson,  A.B.,  Instructor  in  Modern  Languages. 

Frederic  C.  Biggin,  B.S.,  Instructor  in  Drawing  and  Architecture. 
Frederick  W.  Spanutius,  M.S.,  Instructor  in  Qualitative  Analysis,  Industrial 
Chemistry,  and  Assaying. 

Will  B.  Shober,  Ph.D.,  Instructor  in  Chemical  Philosophy,  Microscopy, 
and  Organic  Chemistry. 

LIerman  Eugene  Kiefer,  A.C.,  M.S.,  Instructor  in  Geology  and  Lithology. 
Joseph  Barrell,  B.S.,  E.M.,  Instructor  in  Mining  and  Metallurgy. 

Robert  C.  H.  Heck,  M.E.,  Instructor  in  Mechanical  Engineering. 

J.  Grant  Cramer,  A.M.,  Instructor  in  Modern  Languages. 

Samuel  L.  G.  Knox,  M.E.,  Instructor  in  Mechanical  Engineering. 

Harry  M.  Ullmann,  A.B.,  Ph.D.,  Instructor  in  Qualitative  Analysis. 

J.  Henry  Klinck,  M.E.,  Instructor  in  Electrical  Engineering. 

Henry  Storrs  Webb,  B.S.,  Instructor  in  Electrical  Engineering. 

John  Hutcheson  Ogburn,  C.E.,  Instructor  in  Mathematics  and  Astronomy. 


Schuyler  Stevens  Clark,  S.B.,  Assistant  in  Physics. 
Nathaniel  Thurlow,  A.C.,  Assistant  in  Chemistry. 

WTlliam  H.  Hoffman,  B.C.E.,  Assistant  in  Civil  Engineering. 


COURSE  IN  CIVIL  ENGINEERING. 


3 


I.  PROGRAM  OF  STUDIES  OF  THE 

COURSE  IN  CIVIL  ENGINEERING. 


FRESHMAN  YEAR. 

Solid  Geometry.  (3) 

Plane  Trigonometry.  (1) 

Chemistry.  (3X 

German  or  French.  (3) 

Freehand  Drawing.  (2) 

Physiology  and  Health.  (1) 

English  and  Essays.  (3) 

Trigonometry  and  Mensuration.  (2) 
Algebra.  (3) 

Construction.  (2) 

Projection  Drawing.  (3) 

German  or  French.  (3) 

English  and  Essays.  (2) 

SOPHOMORE  YEAR. 

Analytical  Geometry.  (5) 

Physics.  (2) 

Physical  Laboratory.  (2) 
Architectural  Drawing.  (3) 

German  or  French.  (2) 

English  and  Essays.  (2) 

Differential  &  Integral  Calculus.  (4) 
Mechanics.  (2) 

Physics  (3) 

Land  Surveying.  (4) 

German  or  French.  (2) 

English  and  Essays.  (2) 

JUNIOR  YEAR. 

Calculus  &  Analytical  Mechanics.  (2) 
Strength  of  Materials.  (4) 
Construction.  (3) 

Topographic  Surveying.  (3) 
Crystallography.  (2) 

German  or  French.  (2) 

English.  (1) 

Railroad  Surveying.  (4) 

Roofs  and  Bridges.  (4) 

Sanitary  Engineering.  (3) 
Mineralogy.  (3) 

German  or  French.  (2) 

English.  (1) 

SENIOR  YEAR. 

Descriptive  Astronomy.  (3) 

Bridge  Design  (7) 

Geodetic  Surveying.  (2) 

Mechanics  of  Machinery.  (2) 
Lithology.  (2) 

Practical  Astronomy.  (2) 

Roofs  and  Bridges.  (3) 

Hydraulics  (3) 

Electric  Railways.  (2) 

Geology.  (3» 

Christian  Evidences  (1) 

Preparation  of  Thesis.  (4) 

The  terms  are  of  equal  length,  and  the  numbers  indicate  exercises  per  week. 


4 


THE  LEHIGH  UNIVERSITY. 


II.  History  and  Plan. 

Hon.  Asa  Packer,  of  Mauch  Chunk,  Pa.,  announced  his 
intention,  in  the  autumn  of  1864,  of  founding  an  educational 
institution  in  the  Lehigh  Valley.  The  first,  meeting  of  the 
hoard  of  trustees  was  held  on  July  27,  1865;  a  charter  of  in¬ 
corporation  was  granted  by  the  Legislature  of  Pennsylvania 
on  February  9,  1866;  the  Lehigh  University  was  formally 
opened  on  September  1,  1866  ;  and  the  first  class  of  three  men 
was  graduated  on  June  24,  1869. 

It  was  the  intention  of  Judge  Packer  in  founding  the  Uni¬ 
versity  to  afford  young  men  the  opportunity  of  an  education 
for  those  professions  represented  in  the  development  of  the 
resources  of  the  Lehigh  Valley.  In  pursuance  of  this  plan 
the  course  in  Civil  Engineering  was  one  of  the  first  outlined 
and  organized.  From  1868  to  1871  H.  Stanley  Goodwin, 
later  Chief  Engineer  of  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad,  had  charge 
of  the  practical  work  of  the  course.  From  1871  to  1881,  a 
Professor  of  Civil  and  Mechanical  Engineering  had  charge  of 
the  two  departments,  which  were  then  closely  allied ;  Charles 
McMillan,  C.E.,  filled  this  chair  from  1871  to  1875;  A.  J. 
DuBois,  C.E.,  Ph.I).,  from  1875  to  1877;  S.  R.  Crumbaugh, 
M.A.,  from  1877  to  1878;  and  Mansfield  Merriman,  C.E., 
Ph.I).,  from  1878  to  1881.  In  1881  separate  chairs  of  Civil 
and  Mechanical  Engineering  were  established,  Professor 
Merriman  being  appointed  to  the  former,  which  position  he 
has  held  until  the  present  time. 

The  general  plan  of  the  Course  in  Civil  Engineering,  as 
shown  by  the  program  of  studies  on  page  8,  is  a  broad  one, 
including  literary,  scientific,  and  technical  subjects.  Its  aim 
is  not  only  to  give  young  men  a  practical  preparation  for  en¬ 
gineering  work,  but  to  secure  their  mental  development  so  as  to 
render  them  capable  of  attacking  with  confidence  any  problem 
that  may  arise  in  the  actual  practice  of  their  profession.  He 
who  wishes  to  build  high  must  first  build  broad,  and  the  plan 
of  this  Course  and  its  methods  of  instruction  are  so  arranged 
that  every  student  who  well  and  truly  does  its  work  may  have 


COURSE  IN  CIVIL  ENGINEERING. 


5 


a  reasonable  expectation  of  rising  to  a  high  and  honorable 
position  among  engineers. 

During  the  past  quarter  of  a  century  engineering  education 
has  developed  with  long  and  rapid  strides.  It  is  believed  that 
the  Course  in  Civil  Engineering  in  Lehigh  University  has  not 
only  kept  up  with  the  progress  of  this  development,  but  that 
in  some  instances  it  has  been  one  of  the  leaders  in  the  move¬ 
ment.  As  examples  of  changes  that  have  been  made  in  the 
program  of  studies  during  the  past  twenty  years  the  following 
may  be  noted  :  Construction,  including  the  properties  of  ma¬ 
terials,  masonry,  carpentry,  roads  and  pavements,  has  been 
transferred  from  the  Senior  to  the  Freshman  year ;  Stone  Cut¬ 
ting  from  the  Senior  to  the  Sophomore  year ;  Railroad  Survey¬ 
ing  from  the  Senior  to  the  Junior  year;  Bridge  Design  and 
Sanitary  Engineering  have  been  introduced  and  developed; 
while  the  courses  in  Hydraulics  and  Strength  of  Materials  have 
been  greatly  extended  and  improved.  This  technical  progress 
has  not  been  at  the  expense  of  literary  or  scientific  subjects  ; 
on  the  contrary,  students  are  now  far  better  trained  in  these 
than  ever  before.  Moreover,  in  all  branches  great  progress 
has  been  made  in  thoroughness  of  instruction. 

III.  Fundamental  and  General  Subjects. 

During  the  Freshman  and  Sophomore  years  instruction  in 
Chemistry,  Physics,  Mechanics,  and  pure  Mathematics  is  given. 
These  subjects  are  common  to  all  the  engineering  courses,  and 
form  the  foundation  for  all  the  subsequent  technical  work. 
They  are  taught  for  their  uses  rather  than  for  mere  mental 
discipline,  but  it  is  a  remarkable  circumstance  that  this  point 
of  view  gives  to  the  student  greater  zeal,  keener  perception, 
and  more  thorough  training  of  mind  than  was  possible  under 
the  old  methods. 

Instruction  in  English  is  given  throughout  three  years  of  the 
Course.  It  includes  rhetoric,  lectures  and  readings  in  English 
literature  and  much  practice  in  essay  writing.  The  great  im¬ 
portance  to  an  engineer  of  a  ready  command  of  his  own  lan¬ 
guage  can  scarcely  be  overestimated,  and  it  is  the  aim  of  the 


6 


THE  LEHIGH  UNIVERSITY. 


Department  of  English  to  secure  this  both  in  writing  and 
speaking. 

Students  in  Civil  Engineering  may  take  either  German  or 
French,  the  former  being  recommended  as  likely  to  be  the 
more  useful.  While  only  one  of  these  languages  is  required, 
the  opportunity  of  taking  both  is  afforded,  for  it  may  safely 
be  said  that  a  young  man  cannot  hope  to  become  eminent  in 
his  profession  without  a  knowledge  of  both  German  and 
French.  During  the  Junior  year  conversation  classes  in  both 
languages  are  open  to  all  students. 

In  order  that  students  may  not  neglect  the  proper  care  of 
their  health,  a  course  of  lectures  on  Physiology  and  Hygiene 
is  given  during  the  first  term  of  the  Freshman  year.  A  phy¬ 
sical  examination  of  each  student  is  made  at  the  beginning  of 
both  Freshman  and  Sophomore  years,  and  proper  exercise  is 
prescribed  and  required  in  the  Gymnasium  for  two  hours  per 
week  during  those  years. 

IV.  Drawing. 

During  the  Freshman  year  there  is  a  course  in  free  hand 
sketching  and  lettering,  this  being  followed  by  tracings,  pro¬ 
jection  drawing,  descriptive  geometry,  and  isometrics.  Neat¬ 
ness  and  accuracy  are  insisted  upon  from  the  beginning,  while 
rapidity  is  regarded  as  of  equal  importance.  Much  attention 
is  paid  to  lettering,  the  aim  being  that  students  shall  acquire 
a  knowledge  of  the  proper  proportions  of  the  best  styles,  have 
some  artistic  taste  in  regard  to  the  arrangement  of  titles,  and 
waste  no  time  in  unnecessary  display. 

In  the  first  term  of  the  Sophomore  year  there  is  a  course  in 
Architectural  Drawing,  with  particular  reference  to  masonry 
constructions.  Plans  are  drawn  of  wing  walls,  piers  and 
arches,  which  involve  problems  of  stone  cutting  or  stereotomy, 
these  being  made  to  a  large  scale  and  dimensioned.  Meas¬ 
urements  and  sketches  are  made  of  actual  structures  for  some 
of  these  drawings,  while  the  data  for  others  are  assigned.  In 
this  term  also  the  use  of  water  colors  is  taught. 

During  the  remainder  of  the  Course  there  is  constant  work 


COURSE  IN  CIVIL  ENGINEERING. 


7 


in  drawing  in  connection  with  the  subjects  of  Surveying  and 
Bridge  Design  which  will  be  described  below.  It  is  the  aim 
that  every  student  shall  become  a  neat,  accurate  and  rapid 
draftsman,  and  it  is  believed  that  this  is  generally  realized. 

Y.  Surveying. 

The  work  in  Surveying  extends  over  four  terms  and  in¬ 
cludes  Land  and  Town  Surveying,  Topographic  Surveying, 
Railroad  Surveying,  and  Geodesy.  After  becoming  acquainted 
with  the  theory  and  methods  of  computation  the  students  go 
into  the  field  and  make  actual  surveys,  from  the  notes  of  which 
maps  are  drawn.  The  plate  accompanying  this  pamphlet 
shows  the  topographic  map  drawn  by  the  Junior  class  in  1890, 
it  being,  however,  much  reduced  in  size,  while  a  few  additions 
and  alterations  have  been  made  in  order  to  correctly  show  the 
University  Park  at  the  present  date.  The  area  of  this  Park 
is  about  40J  acres  which  is  a  somewhat  smaller  area  than  is 
generally  covered  by  the  Junior  topographic  survey. 

In  Railroad  Surveying  the  students  make  preliminary  loca¬ 
tions  upon  a  contour  map,  then  run  them  out  in  the  field  and 
take  the  topography  in  detail,  thus  enabling  a  close  estimate 
of  each  line  to  be  prepared  and  the  most  economic  location  to 
be  ascertained.  Maps,  profiles,  and  estimates  of  cost  are  pre¬ 
pared  for  both  the  preliminary  and  final  location. 

In  Geodetic  Surveying  the  theory  includes  lectures  upon 
the  figure  of  the  earth  and  the  elements  of  the  method  of 
least  squares.  The  field  work  is  mainly  devoted  to  triangu¬ 
lation  work  of  a  high  order  of  precision,  but  also  embraces 
the  use  of  the  sextant  and  .solar  transit,  together  with  the  de¬ 
termination  of  systematic  errors  of  instruments.  Base  lines 
have  been  measured  by  classes  with  a  probable  error,  or  un¬ 
certainty,  of  less  than  one  part  in  400,000,  and  horizontal 
angles  with  a  probable  error  of  less  than  one  second  of  arc. 
Practical  geodetic  work  in  the  observatory  is  also  given  by  the 
Department  of  Astronomy. 

A  large  collection  of  transits  and  levels  enables  the  student 
to  become  acquainted  with  instruments  of  different  makers, 


8 


THE  LEHIGH  UNIVERSITY. 


those  represented  being  Brandis,  Buff  and  Berger,  Draper, 
Fauth,  Gurley,  Heller  &  Brightly,  Knox  and  Shain,  Kiibler 
and  Seelhorst,  Queen,  Wiirdemann,  Young,  and  Zentmayer. 

YI.  Construction  and  Materials  of  Engineering. 

In  the  Freshman  year  lectures  or  recitations  are  held  on  the 
materials  and  general  methods  of  civil  engineering  construc¬ 
tion,  including  carpentry,  masonry,  roads  and  pavements,  ar¬ 
chitectural  styles,  and  the  history  of  engineering.  In  connec¬ 
tion  with  this  course  visits  of  inspection  to  structures  are 
made,  and  measurements  and  sketches  taken,  the  latter  being 
afterwards  more  carefully  redrawn  and  shaded.  The  sketches 
of  the  Freshman  class  in  1896,  included  rubble  and  squared 
masonry,  a  segmental  arch,  mortice  and  tenon  joints,  fished 
and  scarfed  joints,  a  king  post  truss,  riveted  boiler  joints,  a 
railroad  switch,  retaining  walls  and  piers,  details  of  bridge 
truss,  and  the  ground ‘plan  of  a  building.  The  following  is  the 
examination  paper  given  in  this  course  on  June  14,  1895 : 

1.  State  the  properties  of  sandstone,  limestone,  and  granite. 

2.  Explain,  with  sketch,  the  operation  of  a  puddling  furnace. 

3.  Define  steel;  open-hearth  steel;  Bessemer  steel;  mild,  medium,  and  hard 
steel ;  annealed  steel. 

4.  Sketch  English  bond,  Flemish  bond,  coursed  rubble,  and  drafted  stone. 

5.  Give  a  sketch  showing  the  principle  of  the  stone  crusher. 

6.  Give,  with  sketches,  the  arrangement  of  a  Belgian  pavement,  and  of  a 
granite  block  pavement. 

7.  Compare  wooden,  brick,  and  asphalt  pavements,  with  respect  to  cost, 
cleanliness,  durability,  and  convenience  to  traffic. 

8.  Give  the  history  of  railroads  in  England  prior  to  1830. 

9.  Sketch  part  of  the  masonry  of  the  Hokendauqua  bridge,  stating  what  part, 
and  giving  principal  dimensions.  [This  bridge  was  inspected  by  the  class.] 

10.  Sketch  a  Doric,  an  Ionic,  and  a  Corinthian  column. 

11.  Give  a  brief  history  of  the  obelisk  in  Central  Park,  New  York. 

12.  Compare  the  rusting  of  cast  iron  and  wrought  iron. 

13.  Give  your  detailed  estimate  of  the  cost  of  the  path  recently  constructed  in 
the  University  Park. 

In  the  Junior  year  a  more  extended  course  in  Construction 
is  given  which  embraces  the  topics  of  cements  and  mortars, 
pile  driving,  foundations,  tunnels,  canals,  and  some  features 
of  bridge  construction.  Visits  of  inspection  are  also  made, 


COURSE  IN  CIVIL  ENGINEERING. 


9 


and  written  reports  upon  them  are  required.  All  the  standard 
tests  of  hydraulic  cements  and  mortars  are  made  in  the  test¬ 
ing  laboratory  by  each  student. 

The  above  general  courses  in  Construction  are  supplemented 
by  special  lectures  given  in  connection  with  the  subjects  of 
Railroad  Surveying,  Sanitary  Engineering,  and  Bridge  De¬ 
sign.  The  classes  are  also  able  to  visit  frequently  works  in 
the  course  of  construction  in  the  Lehigh  Valley. 

The  theory  of  the  Strength  of  Materials,  including  the  elas¬ 
ticity  and  resistance  of  timber,  brick,  stone,  and  metals,  and 
the  investigation  of  stresses  in  beams,  columns  and  shafts, 
comes  also  in  the  Junior  year.  Numerous  practical  problems 
are  assigned  to  exemplify  the  theory,  and  many  diagrams 
and  sketches  are  required.  Each  student  makes  tensile  and 
flexural  tests  of  timber  and  metals.  The  laboratory  of  the 
Bethlehem  Iron  Company  also  affords  constant  opportunity 
for  students  to  become  acquainted  both  with  common  com¬ 
mercial  tests  and  the  refined  scientific  ones  required  by  the 
ordnance  departments  of  the  United  States  Army  and  Navy. 

VII.  Sanitary  and  Hydraulic  Engineering. 

This  work  is  begun  during  the  Junior  year  by  lectures  and 
recitations  on  water-supply  and  sewerage.  The  collection, 
purification  and  distribution  of  water  is  treated  at  length, 
general  principles  and  methods  being  exemplified  by  descrip¬ 
tions  of  constructed  works  and  by  visits  to  those  in  the 
neighborhood.  House  drainage,  the  separate  and  the  com¬ 
bined  systems  of  sewerage,  the  disposal  and  utilization  of 
sewage  with  due  regard  to  the  best  modern  practice,  are  dis¬ 
cussed  at  length.  During  the  present  year  several  valuable 
lectures  on  chemical  and  biological  analyses  of  water,  and  on 
the  filtration  of  water  and  sewage,  have  been  kindly  given  by 
the  President  of  the  University.  The  following  examination 
paper,  given  to  the  class  in  June,  1895,  will  indicate  the 
character  of  the  detail  work  in  this  subject: 

1 .  Describe  the  sanitary  system  of  the  ancient  Israelites. 

2.  State  the  meaning  in  water  analyses  of  free  ammonia,  albuminoid  am¬ 
monia,  chlorine,  nitrates,  and  bacteria. 


10 


THE  LEHIGH  UNIVERSITY. 


3.  Describe  methods  of  purifying  water  by  aeration. 

4.  Describe  the  method  of  purifying  water  by  filtration  at  Antwerp. 

5.  Give  a  cross-section,  with  dimensions,  of  an  earthen  embankment  for  a 
reservoir,  the  water  to  be  18  feet  deep. 

6.  Define  the  duty  of  a  pumping-engine  ;  what  is  the  advantage  and  the  dis¬ 
advantage  of  a  high  duty  ? 

7 .  State  three  methods  of  preventing  water  waste. 

8.  Sketch  the  wash-out  closet  and  the  hopper  closet. 

9.  State  the  size,  material  and  kind  of  joints  for  a  house  soil  pipe. 

10.  Sketch  a  street  basin  used  in  the  combined  system  of  sewerage. 

11.  Sketch  a  lamp  hole  used  in  the  separate  system  of  sewerage. 

12.  Write  Rutter’ s  formula,  and  explain  the  meaning  of  each  letter. 

13.  Give  sketches  showing  the  arrangement  of  the  sewage  purification  works 
at  East  Orange,  N.  J.  (These  works  were  visited  by  the  class.) 

14.  Give  characteristics  of  the  seven  kinds  of  water  used  in  Bethlehem  and 
South  Bethlehem. 

15.  Give  methods,  cost,  and  results  of  the  drainage  of  Haarlem  Lake. 

During  the  Senior  year  a  course  in  Hydraulics  is  given 
which  treats  of  the  flow  of  water  through  orifices,  over 
weirs  and  in  tubes  and  pipes.  The  principles  of  canal  and 
river  hydraulics  are  here  discussed,  as  also  those  of  naval 
hydrodynamics  and  of  water-wheels  and  turbines.  Several 
classes  have  had  the  opportunity  to  make  experiments  on  the 
flow  of  water  over  weirs  and  through  orifices,  as  also  tests 
of  the  power  and  efficiency  of  a  turbine  wheel. 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  titles  of  the  theses  given  on  page  13 
that  many  students  become  highly  interested  in  sanitary  and 
hydraulic  work.  It  may  also  be  said  that  this  branch  of  en¬ 
gineering  is  one  whose  importance  is  daily  becoming  greater, 
and  that  many  recent  graduates  are  making  it  a  specialty. 

VIII.  Bridge  Engineering. 

The  subject  of  Roofs  and  Bridges  is  taken  up  at  the  middle 
of  the  Junior  year,  and  continued  until  the  end  of  Senior 
year.  Stresses  in  simple  trusses  first  receive  attention,  all  the 
different  types  being  carefully  analyzed  and  the  computations 
made  in  the  manner  required  by  the  most  recent  specifica¬ 
tions.  The  graphic  analysis  of  stresses  is  also  taught  in  de¬ 
tail,  different  problems  being  assigned  to  each  student.  Nu¬ 
merous  bridges  in  the  Lehigh  Valley  are  visited  and  inspected, 


COURSE  IN  CIVIL  ENGINEERING. 


11 


so  that  clear,  concrete  ideas  of  each  type  of  truss,  as  well  as 
of  the  details  of  construction,  may  he  obtained. 

The  work  in  Bridge  Design  is  begun  by  the  study  of  the 
history  of  the  development  of  trusses  and  by  the  inspection, 
measurement  and  computation  of  a  structure,  the  class  being 
divided  into  parties  of  two  men  and  each  party  having  a  sep¬ 
arate  bridge  to  examine  and  report  upon.  Designs  for  two 
or  three  structures  are  then  made  by  each  student,  the  data 
being  different  for  each,  and  the  computations,  general  plans, 
and  estimates  of  weight  and  cost  are  worked  out  in  the  same 
manner  as  in  the  office  of  a  bridge  company.  A  roof  truss, 
a  plate-girder,  and  a  pin-connected  bridge  were  thus  designed 
by  each  member  of  the  class  of  1896,  while  in  the  previous 
year  a  riveted  lattice-girder  was  taken  instead  of  the  roof- 
truss.  A  detailed  account  of  the  manner  of  conducting  this 
class  work  is  given  in  Chapter  VIII  of  Part  III  of  Merriman 
&  Jacoby’s  Text-Book  on  Poofs  and  Bridges,  where  also  may 
he  seen  on  Plate  VI  a  reproduction  on  a  reduced  scale  of  one 
of  the  designs  made  by  a  member  of  the  class  of  1893. 

The  higher  forms  of  structures,  including  cantilever,  draw, 
continuous,  suspension  and  arched  bridges  receive  detailed 
attention  by  lectures  and  text-hooks.  The  following  exam¬ 
ination  paper,  given  on  December  12,  1895,  illustrates  the  na¬ 
ture  of  this  work  : 

1.  Find  the  stresses  in  a  Ferris  wheel  with  six  tensile  spokes. 

2.  State  the  principle  of  least  work  and  apply  it  to  the  deduction  of  the 
formula  for  the  deflection  of  a  simple  truss. 

3.  Find  the  reactions  of  a  continuous  beam  of  two  equal  spans  due  to  a  load 
P  at  the  middle  of  the  first  span.  Draw  the  shear  and  moment  diagrams. 

4.  Sketch  a  rim  bearing  and  a  center  hearing  turn-table  for  a  swing  bridge. 

5.  Explain,  with  sketch,  a  partially  continuous  truss. 

6.  Sketch  the  cantilever  truss  at  Easton,  Pa.  (This  structure  was  visited 
by  the  class  during  erection.) 

7.  State  the  position  of  the  live  load  which  causes  the  maximum  and 
minimum  stresses  in  one  of  the  chord  members  of  the  shore  span  of  a  canti¬ 
lever  truss. 

8.  Give  an  outline  of  the  life  and  work  of  John  A.  Roebling. 

9.  Find  the  ratio  of  the  least  to  the  greatest  stress  in  the  cable  of  a  suspen¬ 
sion  truss  when  the  deflection  is  one-tenth  of  the  span. 

10.  Find,  for  a  suspension  truss  having  a  central  hinge,  the  reactions  due  to  a 
partial  load.  Draw  the  shear  and  moment  diagrams. 


12 


THE  LEHIGH  UNIVERSITY. 


11.  Describe,  with  sketches,  the  three  classes  of  metallic  arches. 

1 2.  Show,  for  an  arch  with  three  hinges,  the  position  of  the  live  load  to  pro¬ 
duce  the  maximum  stress  in  one  of  the  web  members. 

IX.  Allied  Technical  Subjects. 

A  number  of  courses  of  instruction  are  given  by  other  de¬ 
partments  to  all  students  in  Civil  Engineering,  in  order  that 
proper  knowledge  and  training  in  closely  allied  subjects 
may  be  secured.  The  privilege  to  a  student  of  coming  into 
contact  with  many  instructors,  each  of  whom  is  an  expert 
in  his  specialty,  is,  indeed,  a  great  one,  and  an  examination 
shows  that  the  present  Senior  class  in  Civil  Engineering  has 
received,  during  the  four  years  of  the  Course,  instruction 
from  more  than  twenty-five  different  teachers  in  th$  several 
departments  of  the  University. 

The  Department  of  Mineralogy  gives  during  the  Junior 
year  courses  in  crystallography  and  mineralogy.  The  greater 
part  of  the  time  is  devoted  to  practical  exercises  in  the  deter¬ 
mination  of  crystals  and  minerals,  and  each  student  is  enabled 
to  become  familiar  with  the  common  kinds  by  handling  and 
testing  several  hundred  specimens.  This  work  is  of  great 
value  in  training  the  powers  of  observation,  as  well  as  in  im¬ 
parting  knowledge  likely  to  be  of  use  to  every  field  engineer. 

The  Department  of  Mining  Engineering  gives  during  the 
Senior  year  courses  in  lithology  and  geology,  the  first  render¬ 
ing  the  student  familiar  with  the  composition  of  rocks  and 
enabling  him  to  determine  them  at  sight,  while  the  second 
is  devoted  to  historic  and  dynamic  features  of  the  geological 
formations  with  special  reference  to  the  needs  of  mining 
engineers. 

The  Department  of  Mechanical  Engineering  gives  during 
the  Senior  year  a  course  in  mechanics  of  machinery,  including 
pile-drivers,  cranes,  and  elevators,  and  the  mechanics  of  the 
locomotive.  Visits  to  the  works  of  the  Bethlehem  Iron  Com¬ 
pany  in  South  Bethlehem  and  to  the  shops  of  the  Lehigh  Val¬ 
ley  Railroad  at  Easton  are  made. 

The  Department  of  Astronomy  gives  during  the  Senior  year 
two  courses  in  astronomy,  the  first  being  descriptive  and  gene- 


COURSE  IN  CIVIL  ENGINEERING. 


13. 


ral,  while  the  second  is  on  the  practical  astronomical  opera¬ 
tions  of  geodetic  and  boundary  surveys.  Each  student  takes 
observation  for  time,  azimuth  and  latitude  in  the  Sayre  Ob¬ 
servatory,  adjusts  and  reduces  his  notes,  and  makes  in  full  the 
necessary  computations.  This  wmrk  is  of  special  value  in 
giving  training  in  precise  measurement  and  accurate  compu¬ 
tation. 

The  Department  of  Electrical  Engineering  also  gives  during 
the  Senior  year  a  course  in  electric  railways  which  treats  of 
the  generation  of  electric  power,  its  distribution,  motors  for 
electric  cars,  and  the  equipment  and  operation  of  trolley  roads. 
Visits  of  inspection  to  power  stations  and  electric  light  plants 
are  made,  while  the  dynamos  in  the  electrical  laboratory  afford 
opportunity  for  special  experiments. 

X.  Theses. 

The  topics  for  theses  are  chosen  at  the  beginning  of  the  sec¬ 
ond  term  of  the  Senior  year,  subject  to  the  approval  of  the 
Professor  of  Civil  Engineering.  During  that  term  the  equiva¬ 
lent  of  four  exercises  per  week  is  allowed  for  the  preparation 
of  theses.  Advice  is  given  in  regard  to  general  lines  of  treat¬ 
ment  and  references  to  literature  are  indicated,  but  in  the 
main  the  student  is  thrown  upon  his  own  resources,  and  the 
thesis  is  regarded  as  a  part  of  the  final  examination  for  the 
degree  of  Civil  Engineer. 

The  following  are  the  titles  of  the  theses  of  the  civil  en¬ 
gineers  of  the  class  of  1895 : 

A  topographic  map  and  industrial  survey  of  the  country  within  three  miles  of 
Lehigh  University. 

Determination  of  co-ordinates  by  the  three-point  problem. 

Determination  of  errors  of  eccentricity  and  graduation  in  three  engineers’ 
transits. 

The  manufacture  of  bricks,  particularly  in  the  Lehigh  Valley. 

Plan  for  the  location  and  construction  of  a  highway  between  Bethlehem  and 
Allentown,  Pa. 

A  proposed  electric  railway  from  Bethlehem  to  Nazareth,  Pa. 

The  narrow  gauge  railroad  at  Mt.  Gretna,  Pa. 

The  drainage  and  improvement  of  Broad  Street,  South  Bethlehem,  Pa. 

Designs  and  estimates  for  several  retaining  walls,  30  feet  high. 


14 


THE  LEHIGH  UNIVERSITY. 


Design  and  estimate  for  railroad  track  and  coal  tipple  at  Brockway  ville,  Pa. 

Investigation  of  the  stability  of  the  new  dam  at  Holyoke,  Mass. 

The  masonry  dams  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania. 

Plan  for  a  water  supply  for  Duncannon,  Pa. 

Systems  of  water  supply  for  irrigation  in  Mexico. 

Investigation  of  a  dam  for  reservoir  D  at  Carmel,  N.  Y. 

Plan  for  a  water  supply  for  the  Lehigh  University. 

The  utilization  of  the  water  power  of  the  Lehigh  River. 

Design  for  a  hydraulic  plant  for  an  electric  light  station  for  the  Lehigh  Uni¬ 
versity. 

The  turbine  as  a  water  meter. 

Design  for  a  sewerage  system  for  Chillicothe,  Ohio. 

Review  of  the  sewerage  system  of  Bradford,  Pa. 

Design  for  a  sewerage  system  for  Flemington,  N.  J. 

Design  for  a  sewerage  system  for  Elkton,  Md. 

Design  for  a  system  of  sewers  for  Manchester,  Ya. 

Design  for  a  separate  system  of  sewerage  for  West  Bethlehem,  Pa. 

Design  for  a  combined  system  of  sewerage  for  South  Bethlehem,  Pa. 

Design  for  a  separate  system  of  sewerage  for  South  Bethlehem,  Pa. 

Review  of  the  Penn  Street  bridge,  Reading,  Pa. 

Design  for  a  parabolic  bowstring  truss  at  Freemansburg,  Pa. 

Review  of  a  highway  bridge  over  the  Susquehanna  River  at  Bloomsburg,  Pa. 

Design  for  a  bridge  over  the  Lehigh  River,  Freemansburg,  Pa. 

Experiments  and  computations  on  the  deflection  of  a  bridge  truss. 

Discussion  of  the  temperature  stresses  in  a  highway  deck  Pratt  truss  at 
Hokendauqua,  Pa. 

Determination  of  the  exact  reactions  and  stresses  in  a  drawbridge  truss. 

Design  for  an  overhead  crossing  for  the  Northern  Central  Railroad  at  Williams¬ 
port,  Pa. 

Comparison  of  four  Pratt  trusses  with  odd  and  even  numbers  of  panels,  with 
respect  to  economy  of  material. 

These  theses  give  full  details  of  all  the  surveys,  measure¬ 
ments  and  experiments  required  in  obtaining  the  data,  the 
discussions  and  computations,  and  numerous  drawings  and 
estimates.  Each  student  not  only  derives  from  his  thesis  most 
valuable  training,  hut  great  advantages  result  from  the  dis¬ 
cussions  arising  from  the  theses  of  others.  Many  of  these 
questions  form  the  subject  of  papers  which  are  read  and  dis¬ 
cussed  by  the  students  at  the  meetings  of  their  technical  socie¬ 
ties,  and  they  are  thus  led  to  take  an  earnest  interest  in  all  the 
scientific  and  economic  problems  that  engage  the  attention  of 
the  engineering  profession. 


A 


COURSE  IN  CIVIL  ENGINEERING. 


15 


XI.  Statistics  of  Alumni. 

The  number  of  graduates  of  Lehigh  University  is  788,  of 
whom  751  are  living.  The  following  table  gives  the  total 
number  of  graduates  for  each  year,  the  number  of  graduates 
in  civil  engineering  and  the  percentage  of  these  to  the  total. 
In  eight  cases  men  have,  by  taking  one  or  two  years  of  extra 
study,  obtained  degrees  in  two  courses;  this  will  explain 
why  the  grand  total  of  the  table  is  greater  by  eight  than  the 
number  of  alumni. 


Year. 

Total  Number  of 
Graduates. 

Graduates  in. 

Civil  Engineering. 

Percentage  of 
Graduates  in  Civil 
Engineering. 

1869 

3 

1 

33.3 

1870 

11 

3 

27.3 

1871 

7 

2 

28.6 

1872 

10 

7 

70.0 

1873 

5 

1 

20.0 

1874 

5 

5 

100.0 

1876 

9 

6 

66.7 

1876 

12 

6 

50.0 

1877 

9 

8 

88.9 

1878 

11 

4 

36.4 

1879 

4 

2 

50.0 

1880 

11 

2 

18.2 

1881 

6 

0 

0.0 

1882 

8 

4 

50.0 

1883 

29 

6 

20.7 

1884 

24 

10 

41.7 

1886 

18 

9 

50.0 

1886 

36 

9 

25.0 

1887 

45 

14 

31.1 

18S8 

61 

34 

55.7 

1889 

61 

16 

26.2 

1890 

51 

27 

52.9 

1891 

46 

19 

41.3 

1892 

58 

18 

31.0 

1893 

60 

24 

40.0 

1894 

82 

22 

26.8 

1893 

114 

36 

31.6 

Grand  total, 

796 

295 

37.06 

THE  LEHIGH  UNIVERSITY. 

SOUTH  BETHLEHEM,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Thomas  Messinger  Drown,  LL.D.,  President. 


COURSES  IN  GENERAL  LITERATURE. 

1.  The  Classical  Course. 

2.  The  Latin-Scientific  Course. 

3.  The  Course  in  Science  and  Letters. 

COURSES  IN  TECHNOLOGY. 

1.  The  Course  in  Civil  Engineering. 

2.  The  Course  in  Mechanical  Engineering. 

3.  4.  The  Courses  in  Mining  Engineering  and  Metal¬ 

lurgy. 

5.  The  Course  in  Electrical  Engineering. 

6.  The  Course  in  Analytical  Chemistry. 

7.  The  Course  in  Architecture. 

The  University  is  situated  at  South  Bethlehem,  on  the 
Lehigh  River,  at  the  junction  of  the  Lehigh  Valley,  the  New 
Jersey  Central,  and  the  Reading  (North  Pennsylvania)  Rail¬ 
roads.  New  York  is  ninety-two  and  Philadelphia  fifty-seven 
miles  distant. 

Entrance  examinations  are  held  at  the  University  in 
June  and  September.  Arrangements  will  he  made  for  local 
examinations  at  various  points  in  June,  with  reference  to 
which  information  will  he  furnished  on  application. 

It  is  regarded  as  highly  desirable  that  the  examiners 
should  receive  from  principals  of  preparatory  schools  state¬ 
ments  with  reference  to  those  whom  they  send  up  as  candi¬ 
dates  for  entrance,  indicating  as  clearly  and  fully  as  possible, 
in  each  case,  the  teacher’s  opinion  of  the  candidate’s  character 
and  scholarship  and  fitness  for  entering  upon  collegiate  work ; 
and  such  statements  will  receive  careful  consideration  in  con¬ 
nection  with  the  results  of  the  entrance  examinations. 

For  further  information,  for  Registers,  and  for  descriptive 
Circulars  of  the  different  Courses,  address 

The  President  of  Lehigh  University, 

South  Bethlehem,  Pa. 


